Coaching icon Gerber part of first L-L Hall of Fame class

The former Annville-Cleona cross country and track and field coach accumulated 898 victories during his 41-year career.

Former Annville-Cleona cross country and track and field coach George Gerber, shown here at the 1998 District Three Cross Country Championships, has been named one of the charter members of the new Lancaster-Lebanon League Hall of Fame. (FILE PHOTO)

It's an elite group, and George Gerber is a deserving member of it.

The former longtime Annville-Cleona cross country and track and field coach is one of four people who were recently named as charter members of the Lancaster-Lebanon League Hall of Fame. Quite an honor considering all of the athletes and coaches and personnel who have graced the league's playing fields over the years.

Gerber will be inducted - along with Warwick softball coach and athletic director Terry Kauffman, field hockey official Lucy Snavely and league executive Bob Rill - at halftime of the league's girls' basketball championship game, set for Saturday, Feb. 16, at Manheim Township at 1 p.m.

"It makes me feel pretty good," Gerber said when asked about the distinction. "I didn't expect to be in one of the first groups. It's an honor."

Gerber won four state championships in cross country during his 41 total years of coaching service at Annville-Cleona. The first three of those came in succession from 1972-74 with the fourth coming in 1977.

Gerber's boys' cross country teams went 581-88 and won seven district titles, while the boys' track and field teams he coached were a combined 305-36. All told, he compiled an 898-127 record coaching boys' and girls' cross country and track and field and had 11 undefeated seasons.

"The thing that I was proud of was we were a very small school and we held our own anyway," Gerber said. "Our guys didn't sit around and say, 'They're too big,' or 'They're too strong.

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Gerber began his coaching career in the spring of 1957 with the boys' track and field team, and by 1961 he was coaching the boys' cross country team. The high school/middle school geography teacher eventually started the girls' cross country program during the latter years of his stay at A-C.

Bob Stachow was an individual state cross country champion in 1974 and was part of those early championship teams. Stachow also teamed with Tim Boyer, Ed Gamber and Bob Graff to win the two-mile relay during the next spring's track season.

George Gerber (back row, far right) coached many successful teams during his tenure at Annville-Cleona, including his last one the 1998 cross country team that placed second at the District Three meet. (FILE PHOTO)

"Winning an individual cross country title is very special," Gerber said of Stachow's achievements.

The '74 team will always hold a special place in Gerber's heart.

"In my opinion, it was not only the best (team) in our classification but also in the state," he said.

The now 85-year-old Gerber - who is also a member of the Palmyra Area High School, Central Chapter and Pennsylvania State halls of fame - continues to be involved in track and field as an official and also works as the president of the league's group of officials.

While the honors and awards and titles hold special memories for everyone involved in those seasons, Gerber holds other things near and dear to him.

"The great satisfaction right now is hearing from these guys once in a while," he said. "The thing you get the most satisfaction about is seeing them go on and be successful in all areas of life."

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